Sand pipe dispensing nozzle



Aug. 12, 1952 T. J. LOFTUS ET AL SAND PIPE DISPENSING NOZZLE Filed Nov. 7, 1950 Tobias J. Lof/us Charles H. Cummmgs INVENTORS BY WW Patented Aug. 12, 1952 OFFICE SAND PIPE DISPENSING NOZZLE Tobias J. Loftus and Charles H. Cummings, Sioux Falls, S. Dak.

Application November 7, 1950, Serial No. 194,415

I 4 Claims. vl

The present invention relates to certainnew and useful improvements in Ways and means whereby railway and similar tracks may be sanded to promote more effective wheel traction at a time when the tracks would be otherwise slippery and thus partially ineffective.

It is a matter of common knowledge that the supply of sand to track rails; by way of so-called locomotive track sanders, is often impeded and in many instances wholly ineffective and is thrown out of use in cold and stormy weather. Such conditions are usually due to the fact that the sand becomes Wet, freezes and clo-gs' in the sand receiving and discharging pipe and is, therefore, not properly deposited on the track rail when its use against slipping is critically needed. Effective track sanding has always, posed a problem for manufacturers and users, Many and varied styles of locomotive track sanders have been evolved, produced and used. Nevertheless, the search for a more efficient and reliable track sanding construction goes on. In an effort to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve on prior art sanders many specialand appropriate adaptations are herein appropriated and put forth for practical use. Another object'of the invention is to promote progress in this line of endeavor by way of a'highly practical'and efiicient construction in which, it is believed, manufacturers and users willfind their respective requirements and essential needs aptly met and effectually available.

Considered from a more specific and structural point of view, the instant invention has to do with a sand receiving and delivering conduit having a cylinder and piston construction at one end, a hingedly attached flap valve at the opposite end, an operating connection between the valve and piston, pressured air supply means at the cylinder end for operating the piston, and a delivery branch through which the sand is'fed, under pressure, into said conduit for application to a track or other surface.

Another object of the invention has to do with the use of a piston rod as the means for opening and closing the flap valve, said piston rod being hollow so as to provide a passage for air, the latter being fed, under pressure, into the conduit to assist in keeping the conduit free of sand and therefore more effectually operable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a locomotive or equivalent track sanding device which is characterized by the necessary simpleand efiicient facilities for effectiveoperation and which is also such in over-all construction that 2 it may be readily suspended for use from the existing rigging and may be so arranged that the discharged nozzle is capable of resultful performance regardless of weather conditions and which insures delivery of the sand on the track in satisfactory relation to the tread of the locomotive wheel. I

Objects and advantages in addition'to those specifically mentioned-will doubtless becomev apparent from the following detailedrdescription and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings. j

In the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views: 7 I Figure 1 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of a locomotive, portion of a track rail, a sand holding box or container and, in addition, the improved track sanding device constituting the subject matter of the instant invention;

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view, with parts in elevation, through the sand receiving and dispensing means; Figure 3 is a cross-section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure lis likewise a cross-sectionon the-line 4-4 of Figure 2, looking in the direction-of the arrows; I V s Figure 5 is another cross-section'onthe line 5-5 of Figure .2, looking .in'the direction :of the arrows; and, Figure 6 is an exaggerated fragmentary. view, essentially int section, and taken on the horizon-- tal line 6-5 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. 1 Referring now to the drawings and first to' the general assemblage shown in Figure 1, the locomotive is denoted at A, the wheel. at B and the track at C. The reference letter D designates what may be visualized as a suitable sand pontaining box. This has a gravity discharge pipe E with which the present track sanding means is communicatively' "and otherwise operatively connected. That isto' say; there is an'appr'opriate receiving and distributing nozzle -8 here provided and this is 'atta'chedtothe lower discharge end of pipe E. Also attached to one side of the nozzle is an air delivery pipe 10 leading from the cab (not shown) of the locomotive. A suitable off and on valveis employed for bringing pipe I!) into play. "An appropriate ifitting- 12 is mounted in the pipe and this is provided "1 th a check valve (not detailed). 'The 'checkyalye is to prevent the return of sand-ladn'air; ifany,

into the pipe proper. It will be noticed that the mixing nozzle is provided with a sand trap l4. Thus sand gravitates into the trap and the air passing through the nozzle from the pressure pipe l picks up the sand and carries it to the improved track sander. Additional air is supplied from the valve fitting l2 to the track sander by way of an air delivery pipe or hose I 6.

The principal novelty is thought to reside in the track sander device depicted essentially in Figure 2. This device is characterized by a suitable pipe or conduit I8 having its lower end reduced and somewhat conical and defining the nozzle of the track sander. There is a branch intermediate the ends of the conduit which is diagonally disposed and denoted by the numeral 22 and this has a hose or the like 24 attached thereto which hose is, in turn connected with the trap end of the nozzle 8. The upper or left end portion of the pipe [8 is screwthreaded and is screwed into a coupling forming a part of a cylindrical neck 28 on one end of an air cylinder 36. By providing a partition at 32 this neck. construction provides the coupling means 26, and it also accommodates a packing ring 34 thus providing a suitable packing gland. The portion 28 also provides a socket for housing and anchoring one end of a coiled spring 38 which serves in a manner to be hereinafter described. The cylinder is provided with a removable screw closure or cap 40 and said cylinder serves to accommodate an appropriately constructed piston head 42 which reciprocates in the cylinder in an obvious manner. The spring surrounds the portion 44 of the piston rod and thus serves to maintain the piston in a given or normally set position. The piston rod extends substantially throughout the length of the conduit and is hollow for the most part, providing an air passage 45 to be hereinafter further described. A suitably bored nipple 48 is threaded into the cap 40 and serves to accommodate the aforementioned air pressure supply pipe IS. Thus, air from the source In and valve l2 passes through the line I 6 and air from the nipple 48 impinges against the'piston to force the piston down against the tension of the coiled spring 36. In Figure 2 there is shown an elongated screw 50 and this is mounted in the cap and extends into the chamber of the piston and is adapted to bear against the piston for purposes of manually operating the piston whenever necessary or desired. The numeral 52 designates a cleanout plug which is mounted in a cleanout hole formed in the cylinder. Attention is directed at this time to a partition or bafile 54 which is mounted in the intermediate portion of the bore of the conduit 18. This lines up with the sand intake branch 22. As shown in Figure 4, the lower end portion of the piston rod has a vent fitting 56 threaded in a suitable hole provided therefor. This vent is to allow air from the nipple 48 to flow down through the passage 46 in the piston rod and to discharge through the vent into the sand receiving and dispensing conduit to assist in keeping the latter free of sand and therefore clean.

A trap door or so-called flap valve 58 is provided and this is hinged in place at 60 and closes the discharge end of the nozzle 20. By way of a link 62 (see Figure 6) and hinge connections 64 and 6B the piston rod is thus operatively connected with the trap door for opening and closing the same, in an obvious manner.

Collateral accessories are provided if desired.

For example, there is a screw-threaded hole 68 provided and this is in alignment with the vent 56, as best shown in Figure 4, and it is normally closed by a removable screw plug 10. The plug and hole permits access to be had to the vent for inserting it in the first instance and replacing or otherwise repairing it whenever necessary or desired. It might be mentioned in this connection that the vent serves not only to facilitate scavenging sand from the conduit but also provides a sort of relief port and takes care of any back pressure which is produced in the conduit at the time the trap door is snapped closed by the coiled spring. Often unless the conduit is thus vented, the action of the trap door closing would be retarded if not oftentimes noticeably held up.

Any suitable means may be employed for hanging or suspending the sanding device from the rigging of the locomotive. Here a saddle plate 12 is provided and this is held in place by U-bolts 14. The plate is provided with a hanger bar or other suitable member 16 which may be attached in any usitable manner (not detailed) to the rigging. As stated, the invention is not in the ways and means of hanging or supporting the track sander or in the ways and means of delivering air and sand to it. The invention is primarily in what may be best referred to as the over-all track sander depicted essentially in Figure 2 of the drawings.

It is obvious that sand is delivered from the box D into the nozzle A and is partly contained in the trap 14 of the nozzle. When the air is turned on the air passes through the pipe l0 and nozzle 8 and blows the sand under presure down through the hose 24 and by way of the branch 22 into the receiving and discharging conduit Hi. When the trap door is open,jas shown in dotted lines, the sand obviously empties on the track rail. Not only is the sand supplied under pressure to the conduit but the same source of air supplies air, by way of the line It and nipple 48, into the cylinder. This acts on the piston 42 and depresses same against the tension of the coiled spring '38. This operates the hollow piston rod 44 and,in turn, presses the trap door open and allows the sand, which is under pressure, to empty on the track rail. As previously explained, the vent means assists in scavenging sand from the conduit which might otherwise clog and interfere with the operation of the conduit. The vent also serves to assist in allowing the trap door to snap to closed position without hindrance.

The numeral 18 denotes a rubber or equivalent bumper carried on the nozzle 20 and which serves to space the nozzle from the periphery of the wheel 13 just in case the over-all conduit means should vibrate and get loose from its moorings.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty sufficient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice provided no departure is made from the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what claimed as new is:

1. A track sander of the class described coma;

prising a conduit having a nozzle at one end, a hinged flap valve closing said nozzle, means for delivering sand under pressure into the passage in said conduit, a cylinder mounted on the opposite end of said conduit and in axial alignment with and carried by said conduit, a piston slidable in said cylinder, spring means operable in said cylinder for normally maintaining the piston in a predetermined position, said piston including a linearly straight rod and said rod being operatively confined within the limits of said conduit and hingedly linked to the inner central portion of said flap valve, and means for delivering air under pressure into said cylinder for operating the piston, said rod and said valve.

2. A track sander of the class described comprising a conduit having a nozzle at one end, a hinged flap valve closing said nozzle, means for delivering sand under pressure into the passage in said conduit, a cylinder on the opposite end of said conduit, a piston slidable in said cylinder, spring means operable in said cylinder for maintaining the piston in a predetermined position, said piston including a rod and said rod being operatively connected with said flap valve, and means for delivering air under pressure into said cylinder for operating the piston, said piston rod being substantially hollow and having communicative connection at one end with said cylinder and communicative connection at an opposite end portion with the interior of said conduit.

3. A track sander of the class described comprising an open ended sand receiving and discharging pipe, a branch pipe connected to the intermediate portion of said pipe, a sand delivery U Number hose communicatively connected with said branch pipe, a cylinder mounted on one end of said pipe, a piston mounted for reciprocation in said cylinder, spring means mounted in said cylinder and engageable with said piston for retaining the latter in a predetermined position, means connected to said-cylinder for delivering air under pressure into said cylinder and exerting air pressure against the piston to operate the latter against the tension of said spring, a flap valve hinged to the opposite or discharge end of said pipe, said piston having a hollow piston rod operable in said pipe and connected with the piston at one end and having link connection at its opposite end to said valve.

4. The structure described in claim 3, and a baffie plate obliquely mounted of the passage in said pipe, said baiiie plate being in operative alignment with said branch pipe and said piston rod passing slidably through and being braced by said baffle plate.

TOBIAS J. LOFTUS. CHARLES H. CUMMINGS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Austin Dec. 17, 1889 Cole Oct. 5, 1909 Lincoln Sept. 29, 1914 Kuehner Mar. 2 8, 1922 Rogers Mar. 3, 1936 

